T.H.I.N.K. Before You Speak

Lee Colan is founder of the L Group, a consulting firm that equips and inspires leaders at every level. He is a leadership adviser, presenter of practical ideas, and a Thinkers 50 nominee for Top Management Thinker.

With each column I write, I carefully consider the point I want to make. I draft the column, reflect on it, tweak it, and review it before I submit it to my editor, who does some of the same.

Unfortunately, that type of careful thought and reflection doesn't always happen in the business environment. Today’s technology and social-media platforms enable us to express top-of-mind, unfiltered thoughts to the world--often to disastrous results. Remember, just because we can say something doesn’t mean we should.

My sister shared a poster with me that appears throughout the high school where she teaches. While it is good advice for students, I think it is equally good advice for leaders. It reads:

Before you speak, THINK…

T - is it True?H - is it Helpful?I - is it Inspiring?N - is it Necessary?K - is it Kind?

Using this guideline does not preclude you from having tough conversations with your team. Even constructive feedback, if delivered correctly, meets these criteria.